Memories Of The Mind
by Dotdodot
Summary: Ling is Emperor of Xing, no assassins have come after him in over two years and plans for trade with foreign countries is going well. Then the whole palace is thrown upside down when a kidnapping takes place. Chapter 13: Please, I beg you... MAKE IT STOP!
1. I Shall Protect You Ling

**I'll be doing Beta edits and uploading these. These will have a minimum word limit of 1000, so please bear with me as I edit. As in the description, I'll be telling what chapters have been Beta'd so people can go and make sure they've read the updated version. With that said, enjoy (again?)  
_**  
The blade felt light in her hand from her post behind the throne. The emperor's shadow could feel it, that dark evil _qi_ slipping around in the palace. It reminded her of when the cooks had dropped a live eel into the grease, before trying to fish it out. The shrill squeals of laughter made the woman smile only lightly behind the mask. But right now there was that qi, there were several others like that, slippery, evil and bad intentions slipping around her senses. Being the emperor's top body guard meant she would be responsible for any injury inflicted on his body, so she made sure that no harm came to her master. Then suddenly, the qi disappeared completely from her range, all of them and she began to worry. The ninja frowned and kept looking through her qi senses to try and find them. A dark qi like that just slipping away from her was always extremely worrying.

_There had been no assassins for 2 years now! Dammit! She grits her teeth together in frustration to find the qi again. Dammit! And they're completely gone from the dragon's pulse too...  
_  
She kept looking over the room repeatedly, both with her qi and eyes. Nothing was out of place as the nobles droned on. She shifted slightly on her feet, no noise coming from her as she changed her weight from one foot to the other. She knew they were there, even if she couldn't sense them. They were coming closer to the imperial court room. She slipped silently into a stance, ready for anything that they threw at her. The other guards, seeing their captain and queen fall into a stance on duty was worrying. They all slipped into one as well, making sure to be on high alert. Lan Fan, although was a woman and of a peasant breeding, she was the imperial guardsmen's queen. Like Olivia Mira Armstrong in Briggs, Lan Fan led them on basic rules: loyalty and protection to their lord and ruler. The blue band that had been painted onto her shoulder armour reminded her of her status as imperial guard captain and the emperor's shadow. She didn't allow slip-ups. They meant her lord might perish if they weren't at the absolute best. One man had fallen asleep on duty once. He was taught a lesson he'd never forget when Lan Fan found him asleep. That man became one of her best guards. He had a scar on his arm and he couldn't sleep on his side, back or front for an entire week. He'd learnt why automail was amazing.

Lan Fan saw it before anyone else. She quickly covered her lord's eyes with her hand and her own with her automail inner elbow as the flash bomb went off. Three men and a woman dropped down from the rafters to the floor, weapons drawn and ready to fight. Five of her guards ran for their emperor and master, to protect him as a human shield whilst she launched forward to the attackers, her kunai just being deflected each time. She skidded back on the balls of her feet and breathed out slowly to release pent up anger. She looked for an opening, any. She saw it and her eyes narrowed.

Launching forward, she almost sliced one in half with her automail blade, if their comrade didn't deflect it last minute, sending sparks flying. The guards stationed outside ran in, ready to defend. She was too slow at one point when jumping out of the way. The blade of the largest male rammed into her thigh and lodged itself in there. She bit back a scream as the emperor called out her name and she yanked the blade out, letting blood pour from the wound. One of her subordinates yelled out "CAPTAIN!" She backed up a bit, along with the other guards as she took a small break.

Strangely, they weren't aiming for her Lord. They ran at her, not the emperor whom she automatically assumed enemies to be after. She jumped back as an arrow flew past her face, scratching her mask and embedded itself in one of the male assassin's chest. She defended the rest of them off as they began to corner her, kicking, punching, and using blades; Whatever was necessary to stop them. That's why she missed one fact that would be the biggest mistake of her life, aside from vowing to protect the most annoying, stubborn, silly man ever. There was the dead male lying in a pool of his own blood, and two others in front of her. She only realised her mistake when she skidded back to catch her breath for a few seconds. The hilt of a blade rammed into a chi point on her head, knocking her out cold. She slumped forward before hitting the ground with her head, hard.

oOo

"LAN FAN!" A single voice called out. The other guards stood ready to protect the owner of the voice. He was breathing heavily and his hands were like vices on the seat. _No... Dammit no... Lan Fan wake up... Please show us it's a joke..._

He watched as the female put her blade away, the one causing Lan Fan's unconsciousness, into a sheath on her belt. Grabbing Lan Fan by the waist, the assassin threw the ninja over her shoulder.

"Thank you, milord" she did a mocking bow of gratitude and respect. "We only wanted this woman, do not worry for your own life." With that said, she threw a smoke bomb down, covering them and their trails as they escaped.

She began walking off, and her friends defending her from any oncoming attackers. She stood strong, straight and walked smugly like a peacock with a rainbow tail. After all that work, she had gotten her prize.  
**_  
Love it? Hate it?  
I've had this idea for a while. So I wrote it.  
Reviews are love.  
At least 4 reviews before next chapter goes up.**


	2. A New World

**I have to explain this quickly, however many reviews I say is the amount I need before I upload the next chapter. It eases off further on.  
oOo means a change in scene/change in POV  
I don't own FMA, if I did, it would be awful.  
Lastly, this story gets really violent. A lot of death will take place, descriptive death.  
I am beta'ing this story slowly. For now though, it'll be 500 word chapters unless I get time to beta them before uploading (like this one)  
With that said, enjoy.  
_**_  
Foreign smells hit her nose. Lavender was a major one, wafting through the room, perfuming everything with its scent. Some Jasmine mixed into the nose cocktail. She was still aching all over her body from- from what? Her eyes widened and she gasped. She searched her mind for anything that might hint to her past, but found nothing. Sitting up, she searched for her name but again, there was nothing but an empty void. The soft pillows and sheets kissed her bruised skin like liquid. Good quality cotton and some silk pillows adorned the bed. Obviously a synthetic silk though. She blinked a few times to get the sleep out of her eyes and brushed her hair from in front of her face to the side, creating a fringe and bangs. She cutely yawned and rubbed her eyes, feeling like the best thing for her to do in the entire world is to roll over and go back to sleep. She almost did so, but a disturbance stopped her.

The door to her room creaked opened and a vaguely familiar man walked into her sleeping space where she was currently.

"W-who are you?" She asked, trembling with fear on the sheets. He was big and bulky, made of muscle and nothing else. She personally was scared, for her life and scared for everything in general. Waking up with no memory didn't really help that either.

"You're friend... You know, Quio. You broke my arm whilst training last year." He said with a gentle voice, a complete contrast to his form. He came to the bed and sat down on the soft surface.

She bit her lip in worry, not knowing how to ask her name. "Who am I? And why am I here?" She fingered her sleeves on her sleeping attire and looked at the sleeve's hem.

"Hmm...? You must have lost your memory. Well, you were knocked out cold. Hmm... Well, firstly your name is Xia Men Su. We just call you Xia. And this would be your bedroom in your home." He smiled at her, to try and calm her down. It worked for Xia, slightly, and not 100% the best, but it worked.

She nodded her head and stood up slowly, stretching her muscles.

"We work as assassins." He informed her, standing up from her bed.

She tilted her head in a cutely confused manner and asked her first question. "So...I kill people?" For some reason, the word Assassin send chills down her spine and made her stand straighter, made her be more alert than before, her eyes scanning the interior of her room.

"Yes."

He walked out of the room, tossing some clothes at her to get changed into. The red and black screamed at her with familiarity, and possibly had something to do with her past. She placed the red shirt on, buttoning the front and slid on the black pants. Walking out of her room, she ran her hand over her metal arm, feeling the creases, scratches and joints with increased familiarity. It interested her how a simple piece of metal could be so intriguing.

"What is this?" Xia held up her arm as she came to the guy, Quio, again. Her arm reflected the sunlight off of it, casting brilliant light across the room.

"Automail. You lost your arm to someone you over estimated." She looked at it, dumbfounded by that information. It sounded correct...

"O... Ok" Xia said, walking to a different room, a wider one with a lot more floor space. Two blades were there, lying on the ground. She picked them up, falling back into a stance automatically. _"Kunai..."_ She muttered as she began to do patterns in the floor space, swiping, slicing and stabbing as her feet and arms worked in unison. If anyone had seen her at that moment she would have looked like the blade and were one, together merged and never separate. She stopped, and smiled at the blades, feeling a familiar appreciation to it. _"Kunai."_ She reassured herself with the name that came to her mind when watching the blade.

A woman walked in, a scar on her cheek. "You're awake Xia!" She said, embracing the younger female happily.

"Uh... Yeah..." She felt unease. She felt it with them all but she couldn't know why.

oOo

Xia Men walked around awkwardly, waiting for her female friend, Si Guo, to come back. The latter eventually did come back, a small stack of paper adorning her arms. Passing one to each of the three people in the room. She received hers when Si pushed it into her hands. "Tu zing" she read. "Member of the imperial court." It listed his weight, height, age, weapons of choice, and many other facts. "So I kill him?" She asked.

"Of course." Zen replied, smiling. "We deal with capital city things; others deal with the clan houses. We get payed more for capital stuff though"

She nodded, grabbing her kunai she had claimed, and changed into jet black clothes. She had no idea why she did this; maybe they hid her form well in the shadows. She didn't care really, so long as she got her job done quickly. "Bye..." She muttered.

"Bye, little one."  
**_  
So...Do I even need to tell you Xia Men Su is Lan Fan?  
God...  
Long editors notes XD, gotta luv em.  
****Reviews are love! At least 8 reviews before next chapter!****  
**

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	3. Queen of the Xing Palace

**Chapter 3 of this pointless story ;3;  
Seriously how do you all hang around after I completely screwed up the first chapter by uploading the draft DX  
How does anyone (other than me) screw up that bad ;_; forgive me, those loyal followers I have...  
I seriously failed.  
Also, there is another story that will be up soon about Riza losing her memory, it is not a fetish, Dotdodot is a shared account and my friend actually came up with that idea on her own, started writing it, then we told each other our story ideas... Incredibly awkward...  
Also does Anyone check FMA head cannon? I submitted some *w* They haven't been posted yet ;_;  
Hm... That's it I think...  
Please, can everyone forgive me. I'm working on fixing it all up so I only upload the 1000+ word stories.  
With all that said, Enjoy (as much as you can)**

Ling wearily lay back onto the sheets and feather stuffed pillows and mattresses of his incredibly soft and large bed after the long day he just had. It was the very first day as him being the Emperor of Xing that Lan Fan wasn't there every waking minute, ready to defend his life and take hers just to save him.

_Lan Fan...  
_  
He felt a great pain suddenly and fiercely come to his chest, because he knew that Lan Fan was almost gone. He clung to the miniscule slither of hope that Ling would find her amongst the millions of Xingese citizens and bring her back safely to his side, but there was a chance that she could never come back to him, forever lost, gone, alone. There was the possibility that they had killed her, and that made Ling's heart stop dead. It was obvious they wanted her, a trained bodyguard that had been loyal to him for her whole life a woman of peasant breeding, but not him, the Emperor of Xing, divine god and ruler, uniting the clans together to create Xing under the rule of one Emperor. They wanted her for something they were planning, most likely against him. _But what?!_ His mind reared in frustration, he needed to know.

It was the only thing his mind was letting him think about, constantly on replay in his mind. The message got stronger when he tried to push it out of his mind. He rolled over to his side and thought about the palace day today. Meetings most of the day, like usual so nothing was out of the norm, and some free time to himself. Free time was now like gold to Ling, actually, more than gold. He valued free time so much more than the stupid metal that adorned every room in the palace. He valued it almost as much as he valued Lan Fan and her protection.

There was the memory again. _Lan Fan..._ Ling felt his new shadow's qi enter his range of the dragon's pulse as the man took place in the rafters to defend him overnight, just like Lan Fan does, use to. He frowned at the thought of her again, but he did have to admit that it was strange without her being there every waking minute of the day. And chaotic. Ling smiled at the memory that came to his mind. The entire palace was in panic without her, on top of the panic of a near assassination attempt. The guards didn't know what to do or where to go, they spent a while in the halls and training grounds murmuring to each other on what to do and where to go. The maids, use to having Lan Fan direct them on the places that needed work after her morning scout, were confused and muddled, running around like chickens with their heads cut off. The cooks knew and relied on Lan Fan to tell them what food he liked or needed for his current health state. He remembered how they were all confused to the ends of the earth and back.

Lan Fan was the support pillars of the palace. Without her, they were all lost, tumbling bricks. Now that he thought about it, he may be emperor over the entire nation of Xing, but inside the palace of Xing's walls she was queen. The guards followed her orders like law, flawlessly carrying out protection, the maids asked for advice from her so the palace stayed neat. The cooks remained the best because of her advice. Heck, even he, the emperor of Xing himself was afraid to get on her bad side, in case a kunai implanted itself into his skull, or his head was chopped off with her automail. The Emperor of Xing groaned as he rolled over onto his back again.

_Lan Fan... Wherever you are... Stay safe and unharmed... Please. For me..._ Were his final thoughts as he succumbed to the pulling ties of sleep, falling into the abyss beyond where he had nightmares of Amestris. Of Lan Fan falling with blood pouring from her left arm, the homunculi closing in on them, her begging to be left behind, despite his orders, before she decided that copying Edward's idea that had fooled and trapped her was good. Her arm coming clean off, the bone was shattered from the Fuhrer's sword so she had to just slice the muscle. The blood that poured down his back when she did. The sewers, the screams of emergency surgery. These things tortured the young emperor as he slept in a non-peaceful manner.

That night, when most were asleep and resting, besides the palace guards, Tu Zing collapsed to the ground in his chambers. dead. His wine glass shattered around him in little pieces of crystal. In the bottom of the broken glass was a small blob of white powder already drying on, poison.  
**_**

**And that is how I see the palace. All held up by Lan Fan.**  
**FLAMES SHALL BE BANISHED WITH MA FIRE EXTINGUISHER! MWUHAHAHAHAHA**  
**About the last one's editing. I was in a rush so I just copied and pasted it. Would you rather wait for the good copy or read the bad copy?**

**At least 12 reviews for next chapter**


	4. Blades in the Night

**This is where the prancy happiness stops. It gets awful actually, if you read the caption. I figured out there is going to be about 21-26 chapters with the current plot, unless people want to suggest anything. It's not as bloody in the second arc (chapters 9-16) and the third arc there will be as little as possible, but right now, the blood is unnecessary, but awesome nonetheless and fun to write.**

  
Xia Men Su rubbed her midnight black hair down with her fluffy towel after her long bath she had taken part in, the bubbled water making it somewhat enjoyable as she scrubbed the day's muck of her. Lifting her automail arm up to examine it, and watching as the sun shone off it gently as the ball of fire set beyond the horizon, she used the machine oil that Suo, Si Guo's twin brother, had leant her to lubricate the joints to make sure they would stay in the best shape possible. She quickly dressed in her clothes, long navy loose pants and an Amestrian style green loose shirt. Xia left her hair down to dry out straight, instead of it becoming a twisted mess in her tight bun. She rubbed her eyes with her flesh hand, trying to rid the stinging feeling of soap in them and sighed in defeat. An entire week had passed by since she had lost her memory and she still couldn't recover it from the depths of her mind, locked away never for her to retrieve. Quio kept telling her endlessly and continually not to stress about it, and that the memories would come back to her with some time. Xia wasn't so sure what he was saying was the truth, but she agreed anyway. She knew they were important to her and who she was. Memories make up your very being and shape you into what you are. She sighed in frustration and longing, before placing the moist towel into the laundry basket, telling herself she'd wash it later. Walking out of the bathroom and shutting the door with a click, an inviting smell hit her nose, beckoning her to follow the trail of its scent to see its source. She quickly entered the kitchen, obeying the scent, where dinner was already fully prepared. Sitting down slowly, she picked up her bowl of rice, staring at the delicious food within. Xia began eating with the others after giving a small prayer to the gods.

"So Xia. We got a new request." Si said, passing over a bit of paper to her left, where Xia had sat down. Xia Men Su's eyes were scanning over it, taking in the information written there. The details were almost completely like last week. Kill a noble court man, do it quickly.

"Hey, Si. Um... I forgot to ask... We're assassins right, so how can we, ya know, afford all this..." She gestured to the house with her hand still holding her chopsticks.

"We are paid well for what we do. And the nobles pay us to kill the other nobles. No big deal." Si Guo took more noodles from her bowl and placed them in her mouth, chewing in a way that said, 'no more questions.'

Xia Men Su kept eating her rice, and occasionally her meat. She wasn't much of a meat person. Xia only stuck to basic foods like Rice and basic vegetables. She thought over her home, and the luxury of it. If she was use to poorer foods, then why did she live here? Sighing, she went silent again as she finished off her meal. She preferred it this way, when she was silent, she felt more like herself. Maybe she was a shy person... She stood up when she finished, before she wandered to her room and changed into purely black clothes again, grabbing her kunai and slipping them into holsters. "I'll be back... I'm going to do my job" she informed the other members of the household.

They all nodded as she disappeared out a window, her ebony hair flowing in the wind.

oOo

Kuo Wei, one of Emperor Ling's closest nobles and advisors walked through the hallways of the Koi Garden section of the palace. It felt eerie that night, like something wasn't right. He shivered and pulled his robes closer to him, blaming the cold night for his sudden shuddering and goose bumps. The palace was a wreck since that assassin attack and his Majesty's shadow and the imperial guard captain had been kidnapped. Who would have thought that the entire palace continuously ran on one woman's orders and she had a decent amount of followers, not just in her guardsmen either. _Still, she had allowed herself to be captured. Her current position was her fault._

Kuo was tired and laid himself down on his bed, wanting sleep to come. Hopefully the palace would smooth out soon. He hated disorder in such a sacred place as the royal palace. He was soon relaxed when a vase breaking outside his room woke him from the prickling of sleep. Groaning, he stood up and went outside to make sure there was nothing wrong around the area. Looking out the door, he saw nothing. Groaning in frustration, he walked out of his room and stared at the vase on the ground. Nothing special, just a dragon vase. There was nothing in it anyway except for a small amount of water. He looked down the hallway again, to see nothing but inky blackness. He turned around and almost fell over. A single figure, illuminated by the moonlight sliding in through a window, stood down the hall, head down. His eyes widened when he saw them lift their head. It was her. The emperor's guard stood down the long hall, silent's and as dream-like as a ghost. He had seen her face when the mask she always wore slipped off her head, showing closed eyes as she dangled over the barbarian's shoulder before the smoke bomb covered them all. Now that he thought of it, his Majesty had kept the silly mask after the kidnapping. Right now though, that wasn't important.

"I... I know you..." He said, pointing at her. He was shaking in fear, more amplified then simple shuddering.

"Y... You're t-" he never finished the sentence because in seconds, a kunai was rammed down his throat. He screamed as the blood seeped down his throat and coated the blade and her flesh hand. She shoved the other blade into his chest, piercing his heart. She slid both blades out, leaving him a bloody mess and herself half covered in blood, before running off at the sound of approaching guards' footsteps. He kicked the can a few seconds after the guard's arrival. (euphemisms are too mainstream ;) )

Too easy... She thought as she stretched. Yawning, she entered through the back door, bloody as anything. Her hand was covered in the caked on fluid from the blood seeping through his throat. Si quickly dragged her to the bathroom to wash her up for the second time. That night, she slept with no issues, but that was the last night she would sleep well in months.

**HAHA I FINISHED THE CHAPTER  
HOORAY FOR MWA!  
So, I would like some suggestions, so far, it seems it's gonna end short. ;-;  
NO ONE WANTS THAT!  
Reviews are luuuvvvvvv  
At least 16 reviews before next chapter.**


	5. Mystery Killings

**Here we are, number 5 in this series. I didn't think anyone would enjoy it for this long... Aw well...  
Idek how you all still follow this story.  
Also, should a main character die or no? And if so, who should it be?  
Thank you!  
_**  
Ling almost felt like slamming his head into his royal-fucking-desk. There was another killing. He was, needless to say, puzzled by the actions of the assassin: or assassins. All three men were close to him in the terms of politics, and he had no doubt in the world that it was the nobles in his courts ordering the killing of the others. But last night's killing was eerily familiar to Ling's worn out senses. It was done quickly and efficiently. Assassins usually made their victims suffer for long amounts of time, finding cruel pleasure in the action of causing another's slow death with their own hands. This really was a mystery that was going to play with him for a while. Along with the kidnapping mystery, he had sent out five scouts to comb through the main city surrounding the palace to look for Lan Fan, but wielding no success in these actions so far.

The Emperor of Xing felt horrible all over, and had even cried alone later in his chambers one day when they said that they had almost combed the whole city and hadn't located her. He just hoped that she, the woman whom was ready to die to protect him, and even ran away with his royal heart, was safe and out of harm's way. If she is being abused... His blood boiled at the thought of Lan Fan tied up, being beaten for information or worse, being forced to use her body for sinful actions. But, despite the ache in his chest, he turned back to the few papers he had about the deaths, eyewitness reports or just basic facts. Nothing really helped solve the case. The only clues he had were the bodies really. Three of Xing's best detectives were searching for the culprit while security on him was raised to an obsessive level by his new shadow.

The secret killer was now feared greatly amongst the nobles. They didn't want to be next, so they stopped trying to get close to the Emperor. Ling didn't want to die either, but maybe the relief of the pain in his chest would be good for him. How naive could he be? He always treated the girl as a best friend, a loyal dog that always followed him around everywhere, did his biddings and nothing more. Never asking for anything, even though she gives so much. He knew she loved him, by the look on her mask less face when he caught her eye whilst she was tying it in the morning. But, the stupid greedy prick he was, had ignored those feelings and perused immortality to rule his nation. So many people had sacrificed for him; for one scrawny boy.  
_Lan Fan...  
Fu...  
Greed...  
_  
He thought of a witness report, needing to occupy his mind from its current inner turmoil as he began to recall Amestris. The blood, the sacrifices, the pain, the loss, the desperation to get something to give him the crown. Ling shook his head and began to intently read the page. He read it over once, checking the details of the report and trying to figure out what he could from the shaky rough script.

_"I was walking along an open archway in the Zen region of the palace. It was dark, and I looked over at my husband, a wall guard. He wasn't looking at me though... He was watching something happening on the ground before his eyes from behind his mask widened and his mouth formed a single word, or half of one. I think it might have been La? Raa? I don't know... Anyway, this all happened right before a kunai lodged into his skull. I screamed in fear and looked down at the gardens where a shadowy figure cloaked in shadows leapt up and over the wall with grace like no one I've ever seen in my life. I screamed again and dropped the linen basket I had in my arms when I saw General Huo's severed body, the head was several feet away, lying on the ground bleeding out the crimson fluid. Several maids and guards came over at the sounds of my screams but it was too late. The assassin was long gone."  
_  
Ling frowned. This assassin was skilled, too skilled. He stifled a yawn before changing into a plain pair of pants and letting out his hair so it cascaded down his toned shoulders, deciding that it was a late night and that he should sleep. Sliding into bed, he picked up Lan Fan's dropped mask and looked at it, once again studying it. He fingered the contours, the mouth and eyes slots. The different scratches and dints from the constant practice and protection, the paintwork that was slightly peeling, and the nose. He felt tears come to his eyes as he recalled what he had figured out only two days after her kidnapping when he began to look at the mask.

_I love her. And now she's gone... I was too late...  
__  
**Who doesn't know I ship Lingfan, I mean, seriously. It's my favorite ship. Ever. Like, I. Have. Read. Every. Fan. Fic. I. Can. Find5  
Livejournal  
Fanfiction. net Ling x Lan Fan  
Fanfiction. net Ling x Madame Christmas (go look, there are like, 58 purely Lingfan stories there for those who are deprived.)  
Quizilla  
AO3  
Devinart (I seriously can't pronounce this, yet alone spell it)  
Wattpad  
Everywhere... *3*  
Heck, I have a Lingfan child OC. I might write a story about her. Maybe not. For those who've read The Future We Imagined. (By something9999, awesome Royai story, just needs to be kicked in the butt on updating.) Would have seen Hay Lin Mika Yao.  
I seem to always write short chapters with Ling...  
****At least 20 reviews before next chapter.**


	6. A Gruesome Death

**NUMBER 6! Hrmmmmmmm. Blood, blood and more blood! Welcome to my sanctuary vampires! Now enjoy as I slowly lose you to other stories ;_;  
My story is pretty bad, but hey! We're at chapter 6! That's gotta be a good sign right!? No? Ok ;_;  
_**  
Xia Men could only feel frustration. She sat atop her home's roof alone and meditated for hours. She kept trying to go back to a solid peace to recover her memories and past. She used familiar things around her to trigger memories. Quio said she'd broken his arm in training an entire year ago. She tried to remember back to that in her peaceful state, but nothing came to her at all. She used the colors red and black, which almost screamed at her to remember as if it was her entire being. All she could remember was a stupid yin mask with painted patches of black and white. Maybe she wore it when she assassinated. She'd seen palace guards wearing similar masks as she slipped around and assassinated people at night. Maybe she had a close encounter, or maybe the one who knocked her out wore that mask. Using her friends as a reference point, she tried using them to retrieve her childhood. Nothing came at first, but then a small image came to skim her mind. She gripped it with her mind but it slipped away again into the dark cloud of her memories.

_An extravagant room with a symbol of a phoenix rising from the flames of its grave on a tapestry... And a circle of guards surrounding who...?_

She assumed the Emperor of Xing. He was obsessively extravagant in his robes and chair, the items surrounding him were of the finest quality. She recalled the image and only a few seconds played out in her mind. A knife to her thigh and a voice calling out a name in panic. Lan Fan... She thought to herself, knowing the name was more important than it seemed. She would ask Si Guo about the name and its meaning when she got back. A knock on the wood beside the front door made her shift her weight slightly in panic before advancing silently across the roof to see what the source was.

_Imperial._ Her mind screamed the word in panic as she moved away from the door and towards the back of the house in fear. _Imperial men. Surely they couldn't have found us! They've __**never**__ found us!  
_  
Xia ran across the roof silently before leaping to the next house and landing silently on the roof tiles. Quio, Si Guo and Suo were out assassinating so only she was left to look after the house. Xia gritted her teeth as she watched them move on from her home to the next house along the street, writing something down.

_Huh... They weren't after us...? I got to tell this to Si Guo!  
_  
oOo

"...and then they moved on, going to each house." She said, frowning as Si took in the information.

"Interesting. Well, I have no idea." Si said, turning back to the dishes. Xia lowered her head, thinking madly. "Don't stress about it Xia" Si said, rubbing down a bowl with a cloth. "They're no concern really. They weren't after you so don't stress about it."

Xia fisted her hands frustrated. No matter what she did, there were no answers for her to take a grasp of. Mysterious people, people proclaiming knowledge of who she was, her memories...

_My memories... Oh yeah...  
_  
_"Lan Fan!"  
_  
"Hey Si, one last question. Who's Lan Fan...?" Xia instantly regretted asking.

_Smash_

"Don't speak that name in this household." Si Guo said, not looking at the bowl that had shattered on the floor as she gritted her teeth, staring at the bubbles.

"I'm sorry... It's just... I remembered it... Being called out... In my memories..." She bit her lip and waited for the answer.

"She's the emperor's shadow. She is the most likely one to kill you." Si glared at the other woman after looking up from the sink. "She killed Tao whilst we were trying to retrieve you from the palace."

She nodded her head and walked away quickly. That was an odd choice of words Si had used... Retrieve, not rescue, _retrieve_. Xia shook her head of the word and focused on the paper on the table with her name scribbled in the top corner.  
_  
Gui Tsni.  
Age: 45  
Weapon of Choice: poison.  
Order: Ordered the death of a useful spy hiding as a butcher. Kill._

"That's odd" she said to herself. "There aren't any more details." Xia sighed, deciding to give up on understanding things that night. She walked to her room and changed, making sure to grab the extra things needed for this mission. Silently, she slipped out of the house, the only noise was a metal chain clicking together.

oOo

Gui wandered into his room yawning after his bath, his hair still dripping. It was pitch black in the room, no candles lighting anything, the only light source came from the window. He knocked his head into a metal hook suspended from the roof as he walked to his bed. He yawned again before it dawned on him and his sleepy mind. _There was a metal hook in his room..._ He turned around to look the hook again, and unintentionally looking at the window, where there was a young woman illuminated by the moonlight. The female smiled sadistically, taunting him like prey, before rushing forward scarily quick and kicking him high into the air with incredible accuracy. Gui realized something way too late. _It's the emperor's fucking guard dog!_

He fell backwards rapidly and impaled his neck onto the rusty hook from earlier. Letting out a low scream of pain from his pierced voice box, he looked at the girl where she was using his own blood that was freely falling from his neck to write Xingese characters. She was friends with the butcher spy! Or at least, he thought, who she was working with was. She was a traitor to the imperial name and her vows of protection.  
_  
"Do not interfere."  
_.**_  
Imagine slowly dying whilst your neck ripped on a hook as you slid down.**

***shudders* this story is dark. I wonder if you are all still following me...**  
**Does anyone know Babymetal? They're Japanese, but check them out.**  
**Reviews make my day. At least 24 for next chapter**


	7. Three Deaths and a Lead

**THE END**

.

.

.  
Lol jk, it's the end of the first part/arc. Less blood after this one!  
Hehe ^^" *runs whilst being chased by readers for scaring them.  
_  
Increasing worry filled the air of the palace as the dead bodies piled up. Slit throats, poison and blood spewing everywhere. Eyes pulled out of their sockets, to be replaced with knives from their own drawers and worse. They were nothing like the first attempts placed on them. The person, this assassin, was growing in confidence as they killed, becoming bolder and **bolder**. Ling rubbed his tired eyes and yawned, knowing the dark rings that sat there. There was nothing to do really. Everybody was focusing on staying alive, not on trade or works. Guards had fallen victim, but the nobles were the only ones paid any attention. The guards were killed because of witnessing. Ling brushed his hair down and tied it back with ribbon to just a ponytail that hung low. He felt so casual. The maids and occasionally Lan Fan had made sure that he always wore his robes and had his hair up respectively in a Xing bun. He wore his bangs out most of the time and only really brushed it back for formal events where image was everything.

_Ugh... That's right... _He pouted_. I'm hosting the annual promised day event for the survivors. Two months to go..._

Ling flopped down on his bed and frowned. He crawled into the centre and thought. His friend, Greed, had died for their victory on that day. Greed had always been nagging Ling to do his sweet bodyguard but Ling would never violate her like that, make her do something to regret. He took the mask from his table again and hugged it close, before curling into a fetal position around it and he wept. Silently trying to remove his guilt and sorrow that he held on his 19 year old shoulders. No kid should have to deal with these burdens. But nothing could atone for the sins he has committed. Everyone sacrificed for him, with very little reward for those actions.

The Emperor of Xing cried himself to sleep that night, memories of pain numbing out before he wearily collapsed into sleep.

oOo

A pipe was lit in a dimly lit room as Hashi looked over the paper. He didn't know where to start on this case. Well, that was until today. A small piece of paper, named Kira Utau, Killer Song in Rìběn, was the clue they had, which was pretty major.

Frowning, he thought quickly about the clue. _"Killer Song, must be an organization. Meaning that someone is hiring them... And the killings taking place are skilled. Stupidly skilled_. Taking another long drawl of his pipe, he walked out into the brisk, cold air of the night. Hashi pulled the coat closer to his body as he walked into a tavern a few streets away from his office, and his personal favorite. Pulling a stool out at the counter, he began to talk to the female bar tender. She was a 45 Xingese-Amestrian, with dark eyes and blonde hair. She had a large bust as well, shown in the dark blue dress she wore with a white apron. Her hair was up in a bun, with a cigarette in her mouth.

"How's it going with the case sweetie?"

"Eh... Ok-ish... I got a lead..."

"What is it?" She asked, leaning forward a little, raising an eyebrow.

"Killer Song, Kira Utau."

Glass shattered at her feet from her dropped glass she was cleaning as she stared at him. "Don't ever get involved with them. They'll kill you within seconds of your arrival. They only deal with imperial killings of nobles and occasionally others, not pedestrians, but that wouldn't stop them from killing a nosy dog."

This time, Hashi's glass shattered from its dropped perch. "Where do they live?"

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO GET INVOLVED!"

He stood up. "THIS IS THE SAFTEY OF OUR EMPEROR!"

He glared and waited at she wrote out the street name and number, calling him a blubbering idiot.

Yes... I have their home! No one will die again... It was Hashi's lifelong wish to stop all murders that got him killed.

oOo

"XIA! COME QUICKLY!" Si yelled, listening to the other woman's feet patter along the matted ground as Xia ran towards Si Guo.

"What is it?!" Xia was lightly panting from the run she just did.

"Sou informed me that there's a man coming to capture us and then kill us! Or hand us over to the emperor!"

Xia Men's eyes widened as she realized what that meant. Stop them or die. She quickly ran for her kunai on the bench, before exiting out the window in a rushed flurry. She ran towards the middle of the street, scouting around the area, before seeing a man swiftly walk around the corner. Rushing over, she stood right in the middle of the path, stopping him from moving forward. He questioned her, but she kept silent, not answering anything. He took another step forward before he was pinned against a wall by her kunai, kunai to his neck in a threatening way. A few drops of blood dropped from his neck as he struggled to get away.

"Stay out of our hair" she said, before blood flew into the cold night air. He spluttered out a few words, before he choked on his own blood from his slit neck. There were tears falling from his eyes as he cried his last tears. Frowning, Xia picked up the body and made sure to dump it near the palace, along with a note.

_Almost, so close, so far. Stop interfering. Or you will be next. You have been warned of your demise._  
**_**

Wow...  
Did anyone get the bolder and bolder joke?  
Also Rìběn in Chinese (Xing is based on China) is Japan. ^^ researching!  
I'm shuddering from this chapter's intensity. If you have any ideas then tell me. I need pointless ideas to dance around on.  
At least 28 reviews before next chapter


	8. Ed's Letter and a Useless Gift

**I've got like, 10000 assignments so I hadn't beta'd this until 9pm last night. (8 hours ago) because those take priority. So atm, this is a very temporary hiatus. Sorry, but I need to get my grades up.  
**_  
Winry bolted in the last piece on Ed's automail leg on, with him complaining the entire way through the regular event. It was always like this, Ed complaining, her bashing his head in with the largest wrench she could get her hands on. Despite their current relationship status as engaged, Ed always acted like he did, whiny. It was reassuring in away, showing that he still treated her the same, but she frowned in distaste at Ed's constant complaining and foul mouth. When he questioned her why he was marrying such a gear head she bashed him up the head with her largest, heaviest wrench at the time. Winry then went and bought a bigger wrench. She picked up her tools as Ed tested the upgrade by practicing kicks he knew. She groaned in annoyance and yelled for him to get outside before he broke something, including his new automail, now. Her eyebrow was twitching as she almost grabbed her wrench again.

Winry carried her beloved tools to her workshop after she packed them up, where she pulled out her special project from her cupboard. Every year, the survivors of the promised day did a Kris Kringle and you had to get the person on your paper a gift. It was funny last year, in Ling's 3rd reigning year, when Ed got the 'idiot prince' as Ed called it. He ripped the paper up, swore, called it rigged then seconds later he lay in a pool of his own blood with a wrench in his head. He got the 'midget girl' Mei this year. This tradition just wasn't his thing because his pattern literally was, _Roy, Armstrong, Ling, Mei_. She laughed at Ed's constant misfortune. She had gotten slightly better in her draws, but not overly so. _Hawkeye, Mei, Hawkeye, Lan Fan.  
_  
That thought brought her back to reality as she pulled out some of her tools again. The question she'd been slamming her head into the kitchen table about was, _"what do you get a trained ninja girl, head of imperial guard, without looking cheap?"_ She'd figured it out within a week and a half, and now sat working on a left automail arm using basic measurements sent to her by Ling. How he got them, she didn't know. The arm looked amazing. Carbon enforced folded steel with the same elbow blade, and a wrist blade if she ever needed it. Sharp studded knuckles and the same shoulder plating to protect the automail port, one of the weakest parts. It had a sleek shine to it and no battle scratches at all on the design. That was definitely going to change very quickly. Winry couldn't yell at Lan Fan for being reckless and dangerous as Winry does to Ed. It's her job and her passion. Ed did it from choice and stupidity, Lan Fan did it from duty and tradition.

She heard the yell of the postman outside her home's front door as the man informed them of mail. He heard Ed's voice drift in from the window as he took the few things from the blue clad man before he left to the next house. The thudding of his feet on the stairs made her put her project away in its special box and open her workshop door, staring at her. He stood with a letter out facing her and pocky in his mouth. The address was written in Amestrian, yet in the top corner Xingese characters littered the page. She opened it carefully, and read the letter with just as much care.

Winry didn't know when, but she knew that at one point she'd gasped at the contents. Then she began shaking before letting a few stray tears fall. Ed was there in seconds, comforting her in a hug, very off for him, but it was sweet. He was reading the letter for himself. He gasped, eyes widened the page flittered to the ground, falling out of Ed's loose grip from shock. The handwriting was that idiot prince's.  
_  
Ed and Winry,  
Well, it's been a long time. A lot has happened since my days of Amestris. It's my turn to host the promised day event, so come to Xing. I'll repay you back for the tab by letting you stay in the palace and all other costs as well. The same date as last year._

~ Emperor Ling Yao.  
Ps. My advisors are yelling at me because I'm personalizing a few people's invitations.  
Pps (for Winry). I suppose I should have told you this, but I'd hoped it would have been resolved. Lan Fan's been kidnapped, I have no idea where she went. I've had people searching for her, but I think she might be dead... I hope you understand. I'm sure the automail you created for her was perfect like all your other pieces. I'm sorry... I am...

Winry composed herself the best she could before standing up and rubbing her eyes off the stray tears. Lan Fan had come to Amestris a lot in the past 3 to get her automail checked and repaired when necessary. She was Winry's best client and the two became best friends very quickly, despite the distance between them. They sent letters sometimes even when things were peaceful. Winry walked over to her project, pulled it out of the box and began polishing it. Ed tried to comfort and reason with her, but he saw the fire in her eyes instead of sorrow.

_Yeah... That kidnapper is so going to pay for this...  
_**_**

POINTLESS CHAPTERS AHOY!  
CLIMB ABOARD KIDDIES!  
You are mine cause I've caught you,  
You are my prisoners  
YAR HAR FIDDLE DIE DIE...  
Ling, Xia, Win, Ed, Si, Sou and Quio: ...  
Ok I'll stop ;_; *takes off awesome hat*  
But seriously, the next few chapters are letters to people. (Al, Mei, Roy, Riza and Co, and Briggs.)  
As I said, may take a bit for updates...  
I luv reviews, at least 32 reviews for next chapter.


	9. Mei's Ex-Rival

**I beta'd this shortly after the last one. So yeah, this one is ready I guess...  
Note- NO IT WAS NOT. I SERIOUSLY HAD A HARD TIME GETTING THIS STUPID CHAPTER TO 1000 WORDS. EXCUSE ME WHILE I GO KICK A WALL IN CAUSE JUST... RAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEE.  
Any suggestions? Seriously? I need them. Like, now...  
This chapter is only 892 words, so if anyone wants to put anything else is, be my guest.  
Enjoy you're Almei. Also, I go by anime names, the exception in Mei Chang and Xiao Mei. They look and sound better than May Chang and Shao May. Is that just me?**

Creta was by far the most confusing country in the world. Even more so than Xing, a country wracked with tradition and rules as well as protocol that would confuse the best philosophers. The two lay in their beds at their shared apartment, watching the fan spin or playing with the mini panda. The two ambassadors for their respected countries were tired out from the long day of arguing for their treaty to be passed. Mei gently played with Xiao Mei and Al just watched as she moved the toy around for Xiao Mei to follow, becoming bored with the fan. They shared a hotel room a lot in every country because they were being sent to the same countries all the time. Al sometimes wondered why Roy and Ling would always do this. Could they know about his crush?

Mei sighed, and got out of bed, proclaiming that she'll cook dinner for them that night. Al nodded and stretched on his bed. Not much was happening, well, nothing exciting anyway. The treaty they were passing for both countries were going fairly smooth, and would be finalized tomorrow. Al and Mei were excited to settle down a little for a month, before they needed to go to Xing for the promised day party. He wanted to propose to Mei in that time. Well, if he could get the nerve up. He didn't want to do it like his brother. He wanted somewhere nice, with a ring and a prepared speech. Maybe a gift as well. "What if's started plaguing his mind in their thousands and Al cursed nerves to hell and back for making his plans seem impossible or disastrous. Oh why must nerves destroy everything. He heard Mei call for him from the kitchen, so he went there to see her.

"Yeah Mei?" He asked as he entered the small kitchen, which was completely soaked in the smell of spices.

"There's a letter here for the both of us, from Xing, Most likely my idiot brother inviting us to the celebration or something." She deadpanned back, tossing the chicken in the pan with other vegetables. _Stir Fry_, Al decided_, yes, Mei you know me so well._

"Oh..." He picked up the envelope and ripped it open. Taking out the delicately folded paper, he read over it in a way that was special to him, head leaning on his shoulder, leaning against the wall with one foot on the wall and his other hand ruffling his golden hair.

_Dear Mei and Al_

_I wish my damn adviser would shut up. I'm writing these letters like it or not. Anyway, hey! I'm inviting you to the promised day event! So I hope you're ready. Same time as usual. I'll cover all costs of staying in Xing for you if you need it._

_Mei, I hope you're passing that treaty and not just destroying Creta, we need the treaty for an alliance. I will never grant permission for your wedding if you destroy them into nothing-ness._

_Al, keep chasing those unworthy men away from my sister, there is only one who is worthy and I am waiting for him to get the balls to ask her.  
_

_~His imperial Majesty  
Emperor Ling Yao  
Ps. I suppose I should tell you this, Lan Fan was kidnapped a few months ago... I hoped we'd find her before these invites went out but it seems not... She won't be at the celebration..._

Al stopped reading the letter aloud and his eyes widened._ Lan Fan... Kidnapped...? But she was the best bodyguard there was, head of the imperial guards!_ _She could deflect 10 kunai within a second in her sleep! She cut her own arm off to save and protect her prince_. Mei seemed to notice the distress, and she felt it too. She may have been her rival for a while back in Dr Knox's home, but the two held now a close-like bond for each other. They were like life-long best friends, or sisters. She couldn't just be gone like that. _Stupid prince not looking after her_. But Mei couldn't really put the blame on Ling for this, and neither could Al. It was just what happened. The pain they felt was immense, knowing their friend was missing.

Mei and Al could only imagine how Ling must feel like.

**HAHA AL AND MEI ARE DONE! FUCK YEAH!  
Yay! Finally. Wow... So I'm almost at holidays! Where I'll be able to update more often. Yay! Win! . . . Ry  
*da dum, tss*  
Question: anywhere I can improve? I am one for constructive criticism.  
THE NEXT COUPLE IS, well... You'll have to see ^3^. They're not in order on the previous chapter so :p  
Reviews are luv, 36 for next chapter  
**


	10. Survival of the Fittest

I**know this is stupidly late. In my defence, I've been needing to boost my marks, so I've been studying my butt off. Soz...**  
**Plus****I****upgraded my phone and had to transfer everything.**

**Holy fudge, 10 chapters already... How... Just how did we make this far... Well... I'm just... Gonna go... °_°**  
**_**  
The icy northern winds of Briggs rushed from the northern mountains and over the steel and concrete Amestrian Fort of Briggs. On top of the un-movable structure, a woman's blonde hair was being whipped backwards, behind her in a flurried rush. She loved the feel of Briggs' icy winds whipping at her face, tousling her hair. She had taken Buccaneer's body back to Briggs and buried it where he would have wanted, looking out of the snowy mountains of his home. _The promised day..._That bitter sweet memory reminded her of the event celebrating the victory and remembering the lives lost. It was coming up fast and she knew it, but really, she and a few others would go only, despite what the invitation would read each year. Briggs needs to be protected so Amestris does not fall to Drachma. The solders of Central think they can handle themselves but they can't. It was because of those useless Central solders that the tyranny of the promised day was as large and destructive as it was. Xing was the opposite of Briggs too, Hot and Humid instead of the icy and sharp climate of her home.

Of course, not everything about Briggs was the same. A lot of things had changed here since the promised day. There were repairs from Sloth, the homunculus she and her useless brother had killed, the promotion of a solider to fulfil Buccaneer's place in the ranks. She herself had also changed, having new responsibilities from before.

Olivia Mira Armstrong watched from the corner of her eye as Major Miles walked forward to her from where he had emerged from the fort. He held out a slightly frosty envelope to her whilst saluting towards her in respect. Her face twisted into a scowl of pure hatred as she glared intensely at the envelope.

"Is it from my spineless brother?!" She asked, fury raging from her in waves, she represented a hungry wolf on the lower plains of the mountain chasing an unsuspecting rabbit. Hungry, ruthless and vicious.

"No." He replied coldly, for he was not affected by the scowl. Handing her the letter, he walked to the inside of the fort again to avoid further questioning from his queen.

"Xing huh?" She saw the odd writing characters at the top of the page and made the obvious assumption. She knew it was her invite to the Promised day Celebration, but she opened it and read the contents anyway.

_Dear Oliver,_

_Heeey! Been a while! Last time I saw you it was through Greed's eyes. Your arm was broken and he was telling every injured person to stay out of the final fight.__Gee times have changed.__Surprised you aren't married yet_.

Oliver tightened her grip on the page and raged boiled in her.

_Please__don't kill me. Anyway, promised day event again and what not. I remember what you said to me last year about not being able to send many people, so this is the only letter I sent to Briggs. Bring who you want, I have enough accommodation._

_~Emperor Ling Yao._  
_Ps. Pleeeaassseee don't kill me, I value my life._  
_Pps. Lan Fan, my bodyguard, has been kidnapped. I don't know where she is but I've been looking for her desperately everywhere. I hope she's ok..._

Oliver looked at the page and re read the note. Lan Fan was kidnapped...? Oliver was perplexed because Lan Fan was the type to rely on her own strength and to make choices on her own. She was pretty much the same as Oliver. From what Ling told her she was also the support of the Xing palace. A woman that independent and skilled doesn't just get kidnapped. Oliver sighed and lowered her eyes in a silent gesture of good luck, respect and hope. Oliver lifted her head only when she felt little arms wrap around her leg. Her daughter, Lyra, looked up at her mother. Her blue eyes sparkled at her and her pale skin barely contrasted against her white hair, tied up in pigtails. Her coat was oversized and her cheeks had a slight flush to them. She smiled at her mother. Oliver nodded at Lyra, before walking into Briggs again, her daughter in tow behind her, making extra effort not to slip on the ice. Lyra had the nickname of the snow princess, taking after the ice queen. She left one last sentence to the winds of Briggs as she returned to the hornet's nest they call home.

_Keep strong, brave and rely on your own strength, little swallow of Xing._  
**_**  
**Yes, that was a SotB reference. It's just I luv dat story sooo much. *smile***  
**So, Oliver done. My friend showed me this pic today so I know what the next chapter will be on. :3**

**So sorry for the loooonnnggg wait. I hope everyone isn't going to light pitchforks and come after me. Like Ling, I VALUE MY LIFE.**

**Can you guess who Lyra's father is *suggestive eyebrow wiggle***

**40 reviews before next chapter.**


	11. What was Roy Doing?

**NEW CHAPTER YAY!**  
**I made sure it was ready because I love you all so much for reviewing my story. So thank you**  
***gives out nutella cookies***

**Ps please read author's note at the end.**  
**_**_  
Riza quickly jumped off her newly promoted fuhrer's lap and made sure her uniform was straight and tidy at the sound of approaching footsteps. Roy pouted at her, already missing the feeling of her lips that brushed his neck and made him feel good. Havoc entered and smirked, knowing full well what might have taken place in that room only moments before he arrived. He hadn't seen it yet, but he knew that the two were very fond of making out with each other, as well as doing other naughty things. Havoc flinched, however, when Roy slipped on his ignition glove and clapped. "What is it Havoc?"

Havoc gulped. "A letter from Xing, sir"

Roy was pissed to hell and back about being disturbed right when it was getting good, but he shook it off and took the letter from the saluting and shaking Havoc. He would have burnt off Havoc's balls if it wasn't a Xingese letter. That, and if he could beat Riza to destroying Havoc's baby makers. He thanked the blonde, who had another cigarette in his mouth already. Havoc left the room quickly and Roy cursed aloud and very violently about how he would rip off the next intruder's balls and shove one up their ass the other down their throat, before chucking the letter on the table and advancing for Riza again. She cocked her gun and glared darkly.

"But Riza! You said if I finish my paperwork I get to spend time with you." He argued at her.

"Exactly. I see a letter on your desk." She deadpanned back.

"THAT DOESN'T COUNT!" He argued.

"It's paper, on your desk, at work. Therefore it is paper work." She smirked, knowing she'd won. Roy felt like burning the paper then and there, but he had tried that in the past and Riza had literally held two guns, one to his head and one to his lap until he re-transmuted the ashes back into paperwork. She had looked ready to lop his head off. Sometimes though, Riza would give him a reminder of why he was marrying her. It was very efficient.

"Fine." He growled at her and ripped the letter open. It was obviously from the emperor of Xing. They had strong bonds with each other and the countries' bond was just growing stronger with each trade and treaty.

_Roy, Riza, and the rest of 'em. _

_Heeeyyy Long time no see Roy, I see you __finally_ _made the rank of fuhrer. It only took you __3 years__ of my reign. _

Roy felt like destroying Xing. He really did.

_Anyway, it's the promised day event. It's coming up and I want you to come. I'll pay for accommodation so long as you don't blow Xing to pieces. _

_Ps. I hope you've managed to get into the female lieutenants pants by now._

_Pps. Don't torch me_

_Ppps. Do you remember my injured subordinate Lan Fan? She was kidnapped a little over two months ago. Where she went, I have no idea. I've been searching for her, but she might not be alive..._

Roy suddenly went from annoyance to sympathy. He thought of it as if Riza had been kidnapped. Lan Fan was his servant for many years and would stop at nothing to protect him. He passed the note to Riza and she read it over as well, the same look of sympathy falling on her face. She had seen Lan Fan when Ling had pulled her out of the sewers bloody and missing an arm, almost unconscious but determined to serve her lord. How could someone like her be kidnapped? Riza could vaguely feel what Ling was definitely feeling. But the sniper could only hope that Lan Fan was ok.

_Two love birds caught in the same web of duty, protocol and status they had been in. It will take time._  
_**_**_**_**  
**I'm not perverted I swear!**  
**The picture I got this idea from was though, blame my friend!**  
**Also people forget that Roy's seen the gate... He uses clapping transmutations, not damn gloves. **

**There are actually so many mistakes in fanfics. I'm not going to go into great detail explaining this all, so here we go, just Lan Fan because of the mistakes around her.**

**1) Lan Fan' mask is ceramic. Clay is a very easy resource to find, and China, the land Xing is based on, has the army of terracotta warriors, made of clay. It is very easy to shape, and it shattered when the Wrath struck it. Paper Mache doesn't shatter.**

**2) Lan Fan's body armour. Firstly, Lan Fan, and Fu, is servants. They wouldn't be overly rich. They have metal where it is needed most. The shoulders to protect limbs from being chopped off (gee, that helped). The knuckles, hand and food are for extra damage from the strikes made. Their chest armour is LEATHER. **

**Don't believe me? When Ed fights Lan Fan she pauses for a moment before Ed elbows her. Her armour bends inward (google it). It also doesn't have the same shine as metal, having more of a rounded shine. Another thing that backs this up is her occupation. She is a NINJA. METAL WOULD RESTRICT HER MOVENENTS TOO MUCH AND BE TOO HEAVY.**

**Rant over. You may resume your lives with this new knowledge.**

**Reviews equal love. 44 for next chapter.**

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	12. Painful Memories of Death

**New chapter! Yay! I am so awesome!**  
**Hehe ok maybe not... **  
**Ugghhhh soooo huuunnnnggggrrrryyyyy, help me please! Someone? **  
***looks around darkness* **  
**Anyone!?**  
**_**_  
Xing was on constant edge as the mystery kept growing and more people, mostly nobles, piled up in the graveyards, filling plots of land faster than they could count. Ling was utterly exhausted and knew that the conflict was going to need to be resolved or nothing was ever going to get done again. The reason being everyone would be dead. Xing had caught whiff of the murdering and now the rumours was spreading like wildfire to the farthest corners. The news took many forms, including flyers, news and mouth to mouth. People might start revolting against the Emperor, who couldn't stop a single assassin, so how could he protect their country?

Ling looked on at the three, now two detectives' research. The locations of the different murders were pointed out by pins with little notes attached on a map on the palace. They knew the lived in the main city, because their friend and comrade never went further than the inner city alone. Someone had killed him when they got to close to finding out the truth. They had the note that was left with his body in front of them, and it was pulling at the young Emperor's memory. There was something about it that was _familiar_, but he couldn't remember at all. He watched as they brought out the next clue they had gotten by pure chance, after the palace guards had almost cornered the mystery killer. The clue was a kunai. It gleamed in the light of the room. As they examined it and the shine reminded him of Lan Fan's automail when the sunlight hit it when she trained. In fact, when she stopped training, which she did only in a thin t-shirt and her pants, the sun hit all parts of her body, reflecting of the sweat droplets making her glow in a golden light. It reminded him of an angel. _My Guardian Angel._ The Emperor felt pain, guilt and sorrow hit him all over again like a steam train as memories of Lan Fan came to him all over again. The detectives were looking over the information again. Simple notes were scribbled over the maps and there was a low discussion between them.

Ling turned and left the room, not interested in what they were doing anymore. Turning to his advisor, he told him that he wanted a rest privately in his room with no disturbance until his meeting late this afternoon. The advisor, Shen, nodded politely, replied with "Yes my lord" and walked away from the Emperor to inform palace guards. The palace was still bumpy without Lan Fan, but it had smoothed out somewhat recently...

_"My Lord... I am useless to you now..." _

_"No Lan Fan!"_

_Tumbling, Tumbling, Blood. Severed Limbs. A stone of crimson. A voice of Avarice. The Eye of a Demon. Suicide bombs. Lies. Returning Home. Sunburns on Lan Fan's Automail._

_DAMMIT! GET OUT OF MY HEAD! _The Emperor gripped his hair and leant against the wall. He kept panting, trying to rid himself of the overwhelming and crushing guilt that he carried._ JUST GET OUT OF MY HEAD AND MAKE MY GUILT EASIER TO DEAL WITH!_

He stood up with all the images of those he'd hurt rushing through his head at a million miles per hour.  
How could people be around him if all he did was make him suffer? Why did _he_ lead this country if all those who followed him got hurt or killed? Ling managed to make it to his chambers and closed the door before sliding down the wall, legs too weak to stand.

_"Become the king you were meant to be"_

_"A king is no king without his people, but the people without their king would be lost as well!_

_"There's no point having you get sucked into my old man as well. Lan Fan has a philosopher's stone, so you don't even need me anymore kid."_

Ling's head dropped into shaking hands as he tried to supress tears that threatened to fall. He ended up letting a few stray tears fall in a vain attempt to calm himself. Standing up, the emperor walked to his walk in wardrobe and shifted some of the fine silk robes aside. He found what he wanted, so he grasped the box. Ling pulled it out and set it on his bed, before using his key to unlock it. It creaked open as he looked over the objects in there, reminding him of everything. There were photos from when he was a kid, as well as before he left for Amestris. Lan Fan's kunai, the type she used until she was 13 because of the throwing abilities but changed for a longer blade after running out of blades and Ling was almost severely injured. She didn't want to run out of kunai, therefore she didn't throw them. Fu's mask resided in the box also, a reminder to Ling of Amestris, and what to never forget. He stood up, and retrieved the yang mask from his bed, before returning to the box. He placed the two masks together, the yin and yang together again, and he lowered the lid on the box, locking it again. It felt like burying Lan Fan in a grave. He mumbled to himself as he put the box away in the cupboard.

"Out of Sight, Out of Mind. Rest well, Lan Fan..."

**And number 12 is dooonnneee!**  
**Yay! Finally...**  
**Did anyone get the song reference? If not it was My Guardian Angel, by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and it is **_**so**_** Lan Fan. Example, the chorus goes. **

**"I will never let you fall"**  
**"I'll stand up with you forever"**  
**"I'll be there for you through it all"**  
**"Even if saving you sends me to heaven"**

**;_; the feeLings...**  
**Also, I make a lot of stupid jokes, Like Ama-Xing, feeLings, I even stuck a person running on a fan, took a photo of it and sent it to my friends going. "It's Ran Fan!"**  
**I'm a baka.**  
**I love reviews 48 for next chapter! **

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	13. Make it Stop

**Hueh hueh hueh new chapter, more reviews =w=**  
**I'm just kidding, I love you all. So, this is Lan Fan's past... Hehe. **

**I like going against the grain because I can. That and I like this better, makes for a better fanfic. **

**Btw, This is semi-action? I guess? Idk**

A gentle breeze blew the willow branches around her in a peaceful way and the flowers took off from their stems, carried by the wind. Xia Men Su leaned against the tree and tried to get her memories back through meditation, letting her mind relax completely before diving into the hazy mist that shrouded her mind. The cycle she routinely placed had continued for ages, always repeating and never changing. She'd do the cleaning in the morning, meditate in the afternoon, assassinate if necessary, otherwise keep meditating, then sleep. She had a boring life, aside from the constant killing, which she didn't really get a kick out of. Blood on her hands felt off, but this was her life job.

Relaxing back, she began exploring her mind. Xia felt it. A single flicker in the back of her mind like a candle being snuffed too quickly. She grasped desperately for it and pulled on the flicker to see if it was anything of use. Most memories were just objects, not of any use. This time it was different. It was a scene. One that she would regret tugging on.

oOo** (this is the memory. I hate using large amounts of italic. Also forgive me for using Xia, but it is a memory, she's using her "name".)**

A rich smell hit her nose, it was a soup with many Xingese spices for the winter weather. The Yao clan rested in the north, spreading over the mountains whom no one wished to claim, so it always froze over winter to a thick white blanket. The light outside shining in through the window reminded her of the hour. 6 year old Xia passed her mother the chopped herbs and watched as she stirred them into the middle sized pot. It was fascinating for Xia to look at her mother cooking one of her favorite foods for dinner, like a celebrity role model. Xia obeyed her mother constantly like an unwritten law, cleaning and cooking when she wanted. The two left the pot boiling on the stove as they began to clean their house to make it presentable. Xia scrubbed the tables and wiped the few shelves they had in their house while her mother dusted and mopped. There was general chat between them as they cleaned, like two gossiping maids in the imperial palace, worthless normally.

"Okka-san, why does it snow?" Little Xia asked her mother curiously after noticing the snow begin to fall again.

"Because that's the change of the seasons," she smiled warmly down at her daughter as she mopped the wooden floor.

"Ok..." Xia scrubbed the third and last table in their house. "... Okka-san, When's Otto-sama coming home?"

Her mother's grip on the mop handle tightened slightly as she replied. "When he gets back, when that is, I have no idea. It's not my job to control him..."

Xia nodded her head before biting her lip and asking the next question that plagued her mind after reading a romance book with her mother. "Do you love Otto-sama?"

Her mother stopped moving completely, aside from breathing, and began shaking, before she shook her head and smiled strangely. "No I don't. It wasn't my choice to marry him. I was forced to by my parents. I hope that never happens to you, Ying-er."

The mother hugged her child warmly and smiled down at her, properly this time. She loved her daughter, despite what her husband had done to her to create Xia. Gently standing up, she went back to cleaning the small house and ended up finishing at a good time, it was just dark. Doom hit the females' ears as the noise from the front door opening hit them. They both knew it was _him. _He abused the women in his own family because he thought they were weak and pathetic, not able to stand by themselves. He wanted a male, _a son_. Not some pathetic little girl, who was small for her age and her mother refused to bind her feet like her own were. She was an _ugly girl_, to his mind.

He watched as both girls bowed at the waist towards him. "Welcome home"

"What's this shiiyyt." He was slurred like he had too much alcohol and it was all over his breath giving it away. "Coogk bedda wommaan!" He back handed her mother before sitting at the table like it was normal, which it was to this house. Xia quietly sat down at the table and waited for her father to start eating before silently eating her meal. These were basic rules that they had to follow in this house, there was no other choice.

It was basically a normal night to them, until the accident that would change Xia's entire life forever. Xia's mother stood up and accidentally knocked her tea cup over, spilling it over the table. Her husband was on her in seconds, holding her arm. "Bitch."

He picked up a knife on the table, used for the small amount of bread they had and shoved it straight through his wife's petite arm. "Be more careful"

Her mother screamed in pain as blood soaked the blade and Xia curled into a ball shaking.

_Make it stop, Make it STOP!_

**_**  
**So part 1 of Lan Fan's past is out!**  
**Yay! Let's have a party to celebrate!**  
**No? Ok ;_; **  
**People always write Lan Fan's father as honorable and noble, who died protecting his master. I see him as an abusive alcoholic, my opinion. But hey, that's my view on things XD**

**Then when Lan Fan's older he comes to the main city and tries to abduct Lan Fan. Different story, will not be in this one. ^^**  
**I might do a one shot, if I feel obliged... (aka REVIEWS)**  
**I luv reviews, 52 for next chapter.**


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